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B. M. RIOHFORD.

SELF INKING POCKET STAMP.

No. 317.853. Patented May 12, 1885..

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EDWVIN MILLER RIOHFORD, OF 44 SNOWV HILL, LONDON, ENGLAND.

SELF-INKING POCKET-STAMP.

fillb'CIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 317,853, dated lda-y 12, 1885.

Application filed April 3, 1884. (No model.) Patented in England January 12, 1834, No.1,363.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN MILLER Rica- FORD, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at 44 Snow Hill, in the city of London, England, indiarubber-stamp manufacturer, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Self-Inking Pocket-Stamps, (for which a provisional specification has been lodged by me in Great Britain, No. 1,363, dated January 12, 1884,) ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved selfinking pocket-stamp for indorsing and other like purposes, and relates to the construction of the folding frame or holderin which the die and inking-pad are contained, whereby abetter impression is insured than with other selfinking pocketstamps, and other advantages are obtained.

' The folding frame consists, essentially, of three main parts combined as hereinafter described23. (2., first, a pair of box-like arms or casings working on hingejoints (or on a single joint common to both) at one end and adapted to close together face to face and inclose the die and inking-pad within them; and, secondly, of the bar or plate whereon the die is mounted, and which bar or plate isjointed to the outer or free end of one of the said box-like arms or casings, so as to be capable of being folded back parallel to and within the said arm or casing or of being turned out to a position at an acute angle thereto. The inking-pad is contained in the hollow of the other arm or casing, and the die is carried on that face of its supporting bar or plate which is presented to 1 ward the said pad when the device is in the closed position, so that when in that position the die will be pressed against the pad and be inked thereby.

When the device is opened for use, the two arms or casings are caused to diverge and form a A-shaped figure, and the die bar or plate extends between their extremities and is supported thereby with the die in position ready for printing.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, which represent the device as aseparate article, and also as combined with a pencil or pen holder, to which combination no claim is, however, made.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device opened for use. Fig. 2 shows a perspective view, and Fig. 3 shows a longitudinal section, of the same closed. Figs. 4, 5, and 6, respect ively, show similar views of the same combination of parts made of asmaller size and attached to a pencilholder.

The same letters of reference indicate similar parts in all the figures, and the following description applies to both examples.

A B are two arms or plates having turnedup flanges a abb at each side to form box-like casings, the one,A, having-,further,a turned-up end flange, a, which the other one, B, has not. These casings A B are pivoted either directly together, so as to work on a common axis, a", as in Figs. 1, 2, 3, or to a connectingpiece, C, so as to work on separate axes Mi), asin Figs. 4, 5, 6; but in either case so that they may fold together, as in Figs. 2 and 5, or be moved apart,

as in Figs. 1 and 4.

D is the india-rubberdie of the ordinary character, and E is the plate on which it is carried. This plate E is hinged or pivoted at c to the free end of the casing B, so that it may fold back within said casing B or be turned or moved out thereof to a certain distance limited by the form of the joint-that is to say, by the pivoted edge of the plate E abutting against the plate B, or by any other stop, so that the angular distance moved by the plate E shall not exceed what is practically necessary to enable flange a of the other casing, A, to engage with a notch, 6 in the back of the plate E at its other or free end, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. A B are two thumbpieces projecting from the pivoted ends of the casings A B,by pinching which together the said casings will be moved apart, as in Figs. 1 and 4.. r

F is a spring coiled about the joint (0 of the casings A B, or applied between the thumbpieces, as in Fig. 6, so as to press the casings A B toward one another.

G is the ink-pad, against which the die D is pressed by the action of the spring when the device is closed.

To use the device, the casings A B are separated (by pressing A B together or otherwise) sufficiently to allow the plate E to be turned on its pivot 6 until it passes just beyond the flange a of the casing A, and then by relaxing printed upon. The plate E, being loosely pivoted,falls into the desired position by its own weight (whether in opening or closing the stamp) when the device is held in the proper position after separating the casings A B, as

above described.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A frame for a self-inking pocketstamp, consisting of three main parts combined as herein specified-namely,two box-casings pivoted and connected together at one end and a die-supporting plate pivoted to the free end of one of said casings, so as either to fold parallel with them when closed or subtend the angle formed by them when opened, substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.

2. The combination of the two box casings or arms pivoted and connected together by one end, a die-supporting plate pivoted to the free end of one of the said casings, a notch in the back of said plate, and a flange on the end of the other of the said casings for engagement with said notch, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination of the two box casings or arms pivoted and connected together by one end, a plate pivoted to the free end of one of them so as to fold back therein, a die fixed on the front or outer face of said plate, and an inking-pad contained within the other of them, substantially as shown and described, for the purpose specified.

4. The combination of the two box casings or arms pivoted and connected together by one end, a spring to press them together, a plate pivoted to the free end of one of the casings so as to fold back within said casing, a die fixed on the outer or front face of said plate, and a pad fixed within the other casing, substantially as shown and described.

EDWIN MILLER RIOHFORD. 

